2006 Hyundai Azera Road Test

Hyundai claims that the front-wheel-drive, 1,708 kg (3,765 lb) Azera is the quickest car they have ever built, reporting a 0 to 100 km/h

Hyundai claims that the front-wheel-drive, 1,708 kg (3,765 lb) Azera is the quickest car they have ever built, reporting a 0 to 100 km/h time of only 6.6 seconds. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

time of only 6.6 seconds. One spin behind the wheel confirms the car's eagerness to perform. Anything more than a light foot on the throttle when red turns to green induces wheelspin and the intervention of the Hyundai's Electronic Traction Control (ETC), which along with Hyundai's Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is standard equipment. Off-the-line pick up is sharp to say the least, and passing performance is stellar at any speed, giving the Azera the potency to pull ahead of its many competitors (or at least alongside a 280-horsepower Avalon) by more than price alone.

The

The Azera's well-bred mill is fused to an extremely smooth 5-speed automatic gearbox. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

Azera's well-bred mill is fused to a 5-speed automatic gearbox that's more polished than James Bond. Its operational finesse imparts a genuine sense of quality consistent with autoboxes at work in premium luxury cars costing an arm and a couple of legs more. Gear changes occur with sublime discreetness on the way up, and when the passing gear is demanded, the Azera kicks down quickly but progressively resulting in very little head snap. Hyundai has also done a commendable job of taming torque steer, which can be a major issue when 263 stallions hit a pair of front wheels.